Meet the historian devoted to the Samson V

Historian Mark MacKenzie, caretaker of the Samson V museum.

Many afternoons or weekends over the past 12 years living on the Quay, I have seen amazement on the faces of children and elderly people pointing out on the river as they share tales of the past with a very knowledgeable person at one very special point on the waterfront. The place is the Samson V and the person is Mark MacKenzie, the smart man who devotes himself to the care of this wonderful ship.

I recently spent several afternoons on board the Samson V with Mark to learn more about the fire that threatened the ship back in 1955. As Mark and I walked around on board, he proudly shared the evolving history and duties of the Samsons that have paddled on the Fraser for 130 years. Some of the equipment on board has lasted for many decades. Equipment visible in pictures of earlier Sampsons is out on the deck of the Samson V today. As he worked to clean the deck, Mark often pointed to cast or forged iron pieces that were built for earlier Samsons. He explained to me how the Samson pulled logs that drifted down the Fraser during spring thaws from the sand on the banks to protect fishboats or tugs. The Samson V was used to dredge the Fraser for large ships crossing the Pacific to and from the wood mills and for importing and exporting goods from the Pacific Coast Terminals (where the Quay is now). Earlier Samsons helped launch many ships over the years from Star Shipyards in Queensborough as well as large First World War ships from Poplar Island in 1917.

Inside we climbed down around the boiler. Mark showed me the first growth cedar frame within the hull with the creosote-treated oversized beams that were fitted first before being treated to ensure a perfect and strong fit. He shared stories from former crew members and families about how different parts were improved, damaged and repaired over the years. He showed me the Samson V’s event logs and spoke of them with a working knowledge like no one else alive today.

Mark and I sat down on the top deck to chat about the fire in 1955 that caused great damage to the ship. The fire department purposely submerged the Samson in the Fraser to stop the fire. Mark explained to me all of the work that went into repairing the superstructure of the Samson, replacing the boiler and some of the hull and frame as well. He explained the long and drawn-out process to get the Samson working again. Later, I went to the New Westminster Museum & Archives and saw the huge expenses of well over $50,000 to repair the Samson so that she could proudly continue her work on the Fraser for another 20 years until 1980. As we walked and climbed around the ship, Mark pointed out many examples of the work done to restore the Samson. There are portions of the ship that have survived for almost 75 years and others that were made for earlier vessels years before that.

I always enjoy asking questions of Mark that I know will get him smiling. He loves to speak of the captains and crew who worked on Samsons and the great evolution of the ships over 100 working years. Mark shares pictures, documents and stories with me with an expertise like no one alive today. There is a great pride in his voice as Mark speaks of how he is able to help work and preserve the last floating example of a steam powered snag boat paddlewheeler in Canada and how she serves as one of the only surviving examples of the fleet of Public Works vessels that served so important a role on the Fraser River and on the West Coast of Canada.

I’ve never met anyone with the pride, knowledge and hope for the future that Mark shows for the Samsons. There’s only one thing that Mark Mackenzie does not speak of, but to me is just as important. That one thing is the honor that Mark should feel for being the most knowledgeable expert on the working ships of the Fraser and the work they’ve done for so long. I am proud to be able to know him and learn from him in my regular visits to the Samson V. I so very much hope that people around the city and on the river recognize this unique expert knowledge and continue to allow Mark to share it like he has done for so long and so does so well every day with so many people.

3 Replies to “Meet the historian devoted to the Samson V”

Thanks for the great story. We often see the boat but never had the adventure of climbing aboard and talking to the skipper !

I was curious if the boat is still steam powered ? I know you said it has a boiler, is this to boil water to steam ? Does it use coal to make the fire for the boiler, is that what caused the fire in the 50’s?

So many questions, we might just have to go visit and jump aboard !

I also have a morbid request for the historian. I recently learned that New Westminster us to be the place to hang people in the days of capital punishment. It apparently moved to Burnaby, but It would be fascinating to know where, how many, and what the people did to deserve being hanged in New Westminster ! A story for Halloween, or tax season 🙂 !

I just recently had a chance to visit the Samson V, a day before Mark MacKenzie's contract was due to expire. As of now, I am not sure what the status is of open houses on the Samson V. The nice treat was that it was one of the few things around that were free to visit. I hope it stays alive as a floating museum.

It most definitely was a real steam-powered paddle wheeler. Not sure what the fuel was, but I suspect it was oil. Most paddle wheelers still running have had their drive systems converted to hydraulic engines…it still turns the paddle wheel, but not in the traditional sense.

It's a cool little spot for sure! We love taking the kids down there. The New West Museum & Archives posted on their Facebook Page that the museum is reopened under Archives staff management for now, and they are looking for another contractor to run it. Here's the link to their fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Westminster-Mus…